Tough draw in last eight after villagers canter to home win

Waringstown have been handed a difficult quarter-final tie in the Irish Cup.

The villagers, who defeated County Galway with ease on Saturday at The Lawn, face a trip to Clontarf, the 2013 winners, in the last eight later this month.

Lee Nelson’s team would have been hoping for a home tie, but there were few easy options with Leinster clubs once again dominating the competition.

At least Waringstown can draw encouragement from another accomplished batting performance and in particular a third successive score of three figures from James Hall.

The opener, who made a double-hundred and century in his previous two innings in 50-over cricket, made it a hat-trick by hitting 125 from just 99 balls. He struck seven fours and seven sixes.

Hall added another century partnership with number three Kyle McCallan (47) following on from their important stand against Civil Service North a week previously.

There were some wickets that threatened to check Waringstown’s progress but an undefeated partnership of 84 between Adam Dennison and South African professional Ruhan Pretorious took Waringstown to 358 for five in 49 overs.

They plundered 76 from the last six overs with Dennison’s unbeaten 50 from 33 balls including six fours and two sixes. Pretorious’s 41 not out include two fours and three sixes.

Galway batted admirably in reply as they reached 100 for the loss of just one wicket and they were scoring at around five runs per over,

Australian professional Ben Speake top scoring with 59 before he became one of three victims for McCallan (3-36). The visitors were dismissed for 243 as Waringstown reached the last eight for the fifth time in the last six years.

On Friday night Waringstown won a thrilling Twenty20 Cup against CIYMS after a last-ball finish at The Lawn. Lee Nelson top scored with 73 as the villagers chased CI’s total of 146. They were cruising with 21 needed from three overs but Nelson’s dismissal to Johnny Thompson sparked a wobble. Waringstown needed 10 off the final over and after Andrew Mitchell hit the first ball for six, he and Stuart Kidd scrambled a single off the final ball to clinch a nerve-wrecking victory.

Waringstown Seconds defeated Strabane by five wickets on Sunday after Stuart Kidd took a hat-trick on his way to figures of four for 24.

Strabane were bowled out for 147 and Jonathan Waite (40), Marcus McClean (38) and Jack Carson (26) produced good contributions in the Waringstown run chase.